

No longer catering to the MTV crowd, the band could finally play exclusively to their true fans. Sadly, the album failed to impact radio and sales charts the way the previous albums had, but the band seemed happy to limit their appeal to a more specialized audience. Attempting to ask some of life's biggest questions, the album showed Vedder finally reaching maturity as a lyricist. No Code, released in 1996, found the band at their most experimental. After Abbruzzese was replaced with former Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Jack Irons, the band began work on their fourth album. In 1995, the band backed Neil Young for his latest album, Mirror Ball. The hard rock songs were still there, but the band also had a newfound sense of subtlety and mystery.

Instead of relying on grungy guitar riffs and Vedder's impassioned baritone, the band began experimenting in new directions. 1994's Vitalogy set up a new stage of their career. At the peak of their stardom, the band refused to remain content with their previous successes, choosing instead to push forward and mature as a musical unit. In 1993, the band released their sophomore album, Vs, which was another huge success. Pearl Jam quickly earned a reputation as a wonderful live band, largely due to Eddie Vedder's possessed stage presence and Mike McCready's aggressive soloing. Krusen left the band shortly thereafter, replaced briefly by Matt Chamberlin, before the band finally chose Dave Abbruzzese as their next drummer. The band was fiercely independent and existed completely outside of the flash and glam that plagued the previous generation of rock music. Still generally considered their finest recording, Ten defined everything that the grunge era was about. In 1991, the band released their epic debut recording, Ten. Pearl Jam was officially born, and they immediately began work on their first album. Cornell and Cameron returned to Soundgarden, and the Temple Of The Dog alumni joined together in late 1990, along with drummer Dave Krusen. The somber tribute, highlighted by the songs 'Hunger Strike' and 'Say Hello to Heaven', was one of the most emotionally difficult rock albums of the modern era.Įxpressing the sadness and grief over their loss, as well as their determination to carry on, the album set the stage for one of the most monumental bands of the coming decade. Along with guest appearances from then unknown Eddie Vedder, the project resulted in the legendary album, Temple of the Dog.

Gossard, Ament, Cornell, guitarist Mike McCready, and Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron began working on the tribute album.

With their goals of rock stardom shattered, Ament and Gossard finally found salvation when a close friend of Wood, Chris Cornell from Soundgarden, decided to put together a tribute to the fallen singer. Just as the band was on the brink of success, Wood died suddenly of a heroin overdose.
#BEST TO WORST PEARL JAM ALBUMS FULL#
Along with singer Andrew Wood, MLB was preparing to release their full length debut album, Apple, in March 1990. Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament, already veterans of the grunge scene with their band Green River, were on the verge of making it big with their latest group, Mother Love Bone. The story of the seminal rock quintet, Pearl Jam, begins in tragedy.
